things I learned when power went out...

[Sk8r]

Add on what you know---but here's my experience...when a lot of people are facing ice storms and power outs: give your own suggestions.

1. I have a light fish load: note in the sig line---all but the tang use very little oxygen. I could survive indefinitely on 5 minutes of cycling the main pump once an hour.

2. I own 3 computer power backup units. If I'd started out using the big one to run intermittently, I could have gone 24 hours easy. A generator would have been great, but in a third floor apartment it's a no-go.

3. you can let the temp fall as low as 62 degrees without losses. Warm up slowly.

4. the hand-heat bags sold at Walmart for hunters will help, but only so much. Someone suggested a liter bottle and Driveway Heat with a little water will really generate heat, but I'd test that one in the kitchen sink before committing it to my tank.

I had no dieoffs at all, either corals or fish or inverts.

[drummereef]

I just bought a Penn Plax Silent Air B-11 backup bubbler. My tank in in a basement that never gets below 72F, but that's even pushing it. Good suggestions Sk8r!

[kass03]

Walmart has cheap battery bubblers in the fishing/sports section.

I once went for 14 hrs with no power and not doing anything. I did have enough of a load in my 55 at the time. I only lost a few snails. It was many years ago before Walmart lol. I now have a few bubblers on hand just in case.
I rented a generator the next morning and as soon as I got it going the power came back on lol but I was still glad it did.

kass

[Violet]

Hey Sk8r where did you get the comp backup units, how many watts can you run on them, and what did they cost?

[MC Lighting]

In case of earthquake, power failures (anyone remeber ca in 01?) ice storms which we are close to having etc. here is what I am setup for...

Return pump, powerheads, skimmer and 1 heater are plugged into 1500kva UPS which is plugged into 20A circuit off of larger inverter system as well as my freshwater tanks this will run for a couple of days on 4 - 4d battereis with solar/wind charging and then generator/truck charging after that if necessary. The UPS is just for any additional protection of the equipment and is nice as a backup if I accidently trip the circuit or have to do maint. on the inverter batteries...

The High intensity LED Lighting has a battery interface for several days worth of lighting although not the halides at least can keep the light cycle in tact. The fuge light is also on this circuit since it draws so little power.

The Halides, PC's and other heater on a straight circuit no backup other than surge suppresion. I figure the single heater will at least make the decline in heat slower and not drop quite as low.

Then if the you know what realy hits the fan I have 2 generators a Honda 1000 for evenings and my 7500 Generac for day time charging. The inverter can compensate for the 100 and draw power off the batteries that it cannot get from the generator.

So overkill it is but this is what I have to make sure this huge investment stays alive during power failures. Also I have a kersun heater that I heat my office with during the winter that can run for 2 days on 2 gallons of kerosene to keep the temp from dropping any further in the room it is capable of heating the room to well over 80 if I let it.

When I get my own place I will install a 20kw full house genset but not now.

[MC Lighting]

THE UPS's can be bought at any computer store or online I like the APC brand as well as Best power, I do not care for Tripp Lite as I have found them unreliable over time. I have seen the 1000kva units at Office Depot on sale for under a $100 from time to time.

[Sk8r]

I got my computer backup batteries at CompUSA. The big one will run a desktop computer and monitor for 3 hours while it is actively working [a bigger power draw]---or a mag 9.5 pump for 3 hours. My lesser ones will go about an hour each. I can't remember what I paid. I think it was under a hundred dollars for the two small ones, and over for the 3 hour job---which has the capacity to plug in a piggyback battery to add more hours. I didn't think I'd need that, and that would have run the cost up considerably. I don't back up anything but the main pump, which is on the 3-hour job continually. The other two actually support computers in their workaday life. It would be cheaper I think to get a generator, but if you are where you can't run one, the computer UPS [uninterruptible power sources] are real good.


NOTE: if you make good buddies with a local fish store or your neighborhood pub or any other independent store, or a good buddy across town, you may be able to cycle your UPSes to them for recharge, if their area has power and yours doesn't. The good thing about the 3 hour job is that it could actually let you get 3 hours of sleep if you absolutely have to keep it going that long...and of course they're all infinitely rechargeable. The catch is: you buy them uncharged, and have to charge them for 24 hours before you can use them. After that they recharge faster.